Auxiliary keyboard device for key-operated machine

ABSTRACT

A 10-key keyboard device adapted to be removably placed over the keyboard of a key-operated machine and having motion-transfer bars which mechanically couple certain of its keys to corresponding keys of the machine even though the device keys are spaced laterally from the corresponding machine keys. The device is suitable for providing a 10-key format for the numeral keys of a typewriter.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,825,101

Wineman 5] July 23, 1974 [54] AUXILIARY KEYBOARD DEVICE FOR 2,535,178 12/1950 Walker 235/146 KEY-()PERATED MACHINE 2,727,690 12/1955 Bindel 235/146 3,241,649 3/1966 Diamond 191/19 [76] Inventor: Neal B. Wineman, 210 Warren Rd.,

San Mateo, Calif. 94402 [22] Filed: June 5, 1972 [211 App]. No.: 259,635

[52] [1.8. CI. 197/19, 197/180 [51] Int. Cl B41j 5/30 [58] Field of Search 197/19, 180; 235/145, 146

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,173,640 2/1916 Barrett 235/146 1,302,181 4/1919 Lamar 197/19 Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerR. T. Radar [57] ABSTRACT A 10-key keyboard device adapted to be removably placed over the keyboard of a key-operated machine and having motion-transfer bars which mechanically couple certain of its keys to corresponding keys of the machine even though the device keys are spaced laterally from the corresponding machine keys. The device is suitable for providing a lO-key format for the numeral keys of a typewriter.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures U is AUXILIARY KEYBOARD DEVICE FOR KEY-OPERATED MACHINE This invention relates to improvements in keyboards for key-operated machine and, more particularly, for an auxiliary keyboard for converting certain keys of such a machine to a particular key format, such as a standard IO-key format used on accounting and adding machines as well as computer terminals.

The keyboard format of a standard adding machine or calculator is known as a lO-key format wherein a 3 X 3 matrix of keys represent numerals I through 9 and a tenth key located below the matrix represents the digit of the keyboard. It is desirable to utilize this par ticular format when using a typewriter especially when a large volume of numbers are to be typed, such as in accounting statements, statistical reports and the like.

Attempts have been made in the past to utilize an auxiliary keyboard of the ten-key format with the keyboard of a standard typewriter. Typical of such an attempt is the structure disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,241,649 issued Mar. 22, 1966. In this patent, the keys of the auxiliary keyboard are electrically connected to corresponding numeral keys of the typewriter. The connecting structure is relatively complex and the auxiliary keyboard effectively becomes a permanent part of the typewriter itself, necessitating the need for additional space at one side of the typewriter to accommodate it.

The present invention is directed to an improvement over the structure disclosed in the foregoing patent by providing an auxiliary keyboard which can be physically and removably placed over the keyboard of a typewriter so as to provide the aforesaid lO-key format therefor without having the keys of the auxiliary keyboard physically overlie corresponding numeral keys of the typewriter. To this end, the keyboard of this invention utilizes a support on which 10 keys are arranged in the lO-key format with certain of the keys having motion-transfer means extending laterally therefrom for transferring the movements of such certain keys to corresponding typewriter keys. The motiontransfer means includes rigid bars at the proper angle and of the proper length so that the actuation of the keys of the auxiliary keyboard will cause a simultaneous actuation of the corresponding keys on the typewriter keyboard. Each bar has means on its outer end for engaging and depressing a numeral typewriter key at the same time the corresponding key of the auxiliary keyboard is depressed. The travel of each auxiliary key can be selected so as to be the same as that needed to actuate the corresponding typewriter key.

The primary object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an improved keyboard device suitable for use for removable placement on the keyboard of a keyoperated machine so that the machine keyboard can be quickly converted to a particular format as the need arises.

Another object of this invention is to provide a keyboard device of the type described which allows for the conversion of the numeral key format of a standard typewriter keyboard to a lO-key format suitable for use in accounting or statistics, yet the device is not a permanent part of the typewriter and can be readily separated therefrom when the typewriter is to be used in the normal manner.

A further object of this invention is to provide a keyboard device of the type described which has a number of motion-transfer bars which mechanically couple certain of the device keys to corresponding machine keys while the device merely rests on the machine keyboard and can be lifted away therefrom.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combination typewriter and auxiliary keyboard device wherein the device allows the format of the numeral keys of the typewriter to be changed to a IO-key format to simplify the typing of a large volume of numbers and to allow one hand key operation when numbers are to be typed with the typewriter.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing for an illustration of the invention.

In the drawing:

FlG. l is a perspective view of the keyboard device of this invention used on a standard typewriter;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, top plan view of the device;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the motion-transfer bars of the device with the keyboard thereof removed;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the device; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the device, showing the way in which it is mounted on a typewriter.

The keyboard device of this invention is broadly denoted by the numeral and includes a support 12 having 10 keys 14 mounted thereon in a IO-key format of the type used on adding machines and calculators. Device 10 is to be mounted on a key-operated machine so that keys 14 will operate specific keys of the machine. While the invention might be applicable for several different types of machines, it is especially suitable for use with a typewriter. As shown in FIG. 1, device 10 is disposed on a typewriter 16 so that keys 14 can be used to actuate corresponding numeral keys of the typewriter keyboard.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lO-key format has three rows of three keys 14, the upper row having keys corresponding to numerals 7, 8 and 9, the middle row having keys corresponding to numerals 4, 5 and 6, and the lower row having keys corresponding to numerals l, 2 and 3. A single lowermost key 14 corresponds to 0. Thus, the key format of device 10 can be considered a 3 3Xl format.

Support 12 includes a housing 20 provided with a top wall 22, a bottom wall 24 and a generally continuous outer peripheral sidewall 26 which may be integral with top wall 22 as shown in FIG. 4. Bottom wall 24 has a row of holes 25 therein (FIG. 4) which directly overlie keys 15 of the typewriter when device 10 is mounted thereon. Top wall 22 is provided with a central opening 28 through which keys l4 communicate with the interior of housing 20. Four sidewalls 30 are secured to and extend upwardly from top wall 22 and define an open top receptacle for receiving keys 14.

Each key 14 includes a head 32 and a stem 34 secured to the head and extending downwardly through an intermediate panel 36 connected in some suitable manner to sidewalls 30. Each stem 34 is shiftable relative to panel 36 and has a flange 38 which is biased upwardly and against the lower surface of the panel by a coil spring 40 disposed in a recess 42 in a spacer member 44 below panel 36, member 44 being secured by screws or the like to sidewalls 30.

Three of the keys l4, namely, those in the middle row, are adapted to directly overlie three of the holes 25 and thereby directly overlie corresponding typewriter keys when device 10 is in an operative position on a typewriter. The remaining seven keys of device I are provided with rigid bars or extensions which transfer the movements of such seven keys to locations laterally spaced therefrom. Such locations directly overlie specific holes 25 and thereby corresponding typewriter keys when device is in an operative position on the typewriter. As shown in FIG. 4, the keys of the middle row have elongated stems 34a, 34b and 34c (FIG. 4) which extend through corresponding holes 25 in bottom wall 24 (FIG. 4). The lower ends of these three stems have heads 46 for engaging corresponding typewriter keys IS therebelow.

Each of the remaining seven keys I4 has a rigid bar 54 connected to the lower end of its stem 34, the bar extending laterally from the stem as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, as the stem is moved downwardly, the corresponding bar is also moved downwardly. Each bar 54 has a rigid, downwardly extending segment 56 at its outer end, the segment extending through the corresponding hole 25 and provided with a head 58 for engaging the corresponding typewriter key IS (FIG. 4).

As shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3, bars 54a, 54b and 54c couple the three keys of the lower row to the typewriter keys representing numerals 1, 2 and 3. These three bars are generally parallel with each other and are of approximately the same length. Similarly, bars 54d, 54c and 54f are provided to couple the keys 14 of the upper row with typewriter keys l5 representing the numerals 7, 8 and 9. Bar 54g is provided for the lowermost key l4 to couple it with the corresponding typewriter key.

An L-shaped bracket 60 is secured by screws 62 to one surface 64 of sidewall 26. Bracket 60 is adapted to engage the upper surface area 66 (FIGS. 1 and 5) of typewriter l6 forwardly of key row I8 to support device 10 at its upper extremity when the device is in its operative position on the typewriter.

An arm 68 is pivotally mounted by a pin 69 on bottom 24 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Arm 68 has a lateral projection 70 (FIG. I) for engaging the adjacent lower surface area 72 of the typewriter to support device 10 at its lower extremity.

In use, device I0 is lowered onto the typewriter as shown in FIG. 1 until bracket 60 engages area 66 and projection 70 engages area 72. There is no physical connection between device 10 and the typewriter, the device being merely resting on areas 66 and 72. In its operative position, device 10 will be located so that keys l4 representing numerals 4, 5 and 6 will overlie corresponding typewriter keys I5 and bars 54 of the remaining keys 14 will have their segments 56 overlying the remaining numeral keys of the typewriter. As shown in FIG. 5, device 10 is spaced above the alphabet keys of the typewriter so that they cannot be accidentally actuated in any way. The user can then manipulate keys 14 with the fingers of one hand and thereby actuate the corresponding typewriter keys 15. When it is desired to use the typewriter in the normal manner, device I0 is merely lifted away from the typewriter, thereby exposing the entire typewriter keyboard for normal use.

I claim:

I. An auxiliary keyboard device for use with a typewriter having a keyboard provided with numeral keys arranged in a single row in a first format, an accessory for changing the numeral keys from said first format to a second format, said accessory including a support; a group of IO auxiliary keys shiftably mounted on the support and arranged in a 3X3Xl array defining said second format, said support adapted to bc removably disposed in an operative position on said typewriter with certain of said auxiliary keys in overlying relationship to and engageable with corresponding numeral keys of the typewriter; and a rigid bar for each of the remaining auxiliary keys, respectively, for mechanically transferring the movement of each remaining auxiliary key to a location laterally spaced therefrom, each bar having structure at its outer end for engaging a corresponding numeral key when the support is in said operative position, each of the bars being at an acute angle with respect to the numeral row of said keyboard.

2. An auxiliary keyboard device as set forth in claim I, wherein the bars of a first group of the remaining auxiliary keys are substantially parallel with each other and the bars of a second group of the remaining auxiliary keys are substantially parallel with each other.

3. An auxiliary keyboard device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support includes a housing having a bottom wall provided with a row of holes therethrough, the holes being aligned with said numeral keys and a portion of the housing overlying said letter keys when the support is in said operative position, said bars being in said housing and having respective segments aligned with the extending through respective holes, the stems of said certain keys being aligned with and extending through respective holes.

4. An auxiliary keyboard device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support has a first bracket for engaging one area of the typewriter, and a second bracket for engaging another surface area of the typewriter, whereby the support can removably rest thereon.

S. An auxiliary keyboard device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first bracket is L-shaped, said second bracket including an arm pivotally mounted on the support for adjustable engagement with said other surface area.

6. In combination: a typewriter having a keyboard provided with a row of numeral keys in a single row in a first format; and an auxiliary keyboard device for use with the typewriter to change the numeral keys from said first format to a second format, said device including a support, a group of IO auxiliary keys shiftably mounted on the support and arranged thereon in a 3 3 l array defining said second format, said auxiliary keys being independently movable up and down and having means for biasing the same upwardly, said support being removably mountable in an operative position on the typewriter with certain of said auxiliary keys in overlying relationship to and engageable with corresponding numeral keys of the typewriter, and a rigid bar for each of the remaining auxiliary keys, respectively, for mechanically transferring the movement of the corresponding remaining auxiliary key to a location laterally spaced therefrom, the rigid bar for each remaining auxiliary key being disposed at an acute angle with respect to the numeral key row and having structure at its outer end for engaging a corresponding numeral key of the typewriter when the support is in said operative position.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein said typewriter has first and second surfaces adjacent to the upper and lower positions of its keyboard, respectively, said support having a pair of brackets for removably engaging said first and second surfaces, respectively.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein, the structure on each bar includes a rigid segment, said support including a housing having a bottom wall provided with a row of holes aligned with the numeral keys of the typewriter when said support is in said operative position, the segments extending through corresponding holes, each of said certain keys having a stem extending through a corresponding hole and engageable with a corresponding numeral key.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein the bars of a first group of the remaining auxiliary keys are substantially parallel with each other and the bars of a second group of the remaining auxiliary keys are substantially parallel with each other, each bar being at an acute angle with respect to the rows of said keyboard.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 9, wherein the lengths of the bars of each group are substantially equal to each other.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein a first of said brackets is L-shaped, the other bracket including an arm pivotally mounted on the support for adjustable engagement with said other surface area. 

1. An auxiliary keyboard device for use with a typewriter having a keyboard provided with numeral keys arranged in a single row in a first format, an accessory for changing the numeral keys from said first format to a second format, said accessory including a support; a group of 10 auxiliary keys shiftably mounted on the support and arranged in a 3 X 3 X 1 array defining said second format, said support adapted to be removably disposed in an operative position on said typewriter with certain of said auxiliary keys in overlying relationship to and engageable with corresponding numeral keys of the typewriter; and a rigid bar for each of the remaining auxiliary keys, respectively, for mechanically transferring the movement of each remaining auxiliary key to a location laterally spaced therefrom, each bar having structure at its outer end for engaging a corresponding numeral key when the support is in said operative position, each of the bars being at an acute angle with respect to tHe numeral row of said keyboard.
 2. An auxiliary keyboard device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bars of a first group of the remaining auxiliary keys are substantially parallel with each other and the bars of a second group of the remaining auxiliary keys are substantially parallel with each other.
 3. An auxiliary keyboard device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support includes a housing having a bottom wall provided with a row of holes therethrough, the holes being aligned with said numeral keys and a portion of the housing overlying said letter keys when the support is in said operative position, said bars being in said housing and having respective segments aligned with the extending through respective holes, the stems of said certain keys being aligned with and extending through respective holes.
 4. An auxiliary keyboard device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support has a first bracket for engaging one area of the typewriter, and a second bracket for engaging another surface area of the typewriter, whereby the support can removably rest thereon.
 5. An auxiliary keyboard device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first bracket is L-shaped, said second bracket including an arm pivotally mounted on the support for adjustable engagement with said other surface area.
 6. In combination: a typewriter having a keyboard provided with a row of numeral keys in a single row in a first format; and an auxiliary keyboard device for use with the typewriter to change the numeral keys from said first format to a second format, said device including a support, a group of 10 auxiliary keys shiftably mounted on the support and arranged thereon in a 3 X 3 X 1 array defining said second format, said auxiliary keys being independently movable up and down and having means for biasing the same upwardly, said support being removably mountable in an operative position on the typewriter with certain of said auxiliary keys in overlying relationship to and engageable with corresponding numeral keys of the typewriter, and a rigid bar for each of the remaining auxiliary keys, respectively, for mechanically transferring the movement of the corresponding remaining auxiliary key to a location laterally spaced therefrom, the rigid bar for each remaining auxiliary key being disposed at an acute angle with respect to the numeral key row and having structure at its outer end for engaging a corresponding numeral key of the typewriter when the support is in said operative position.
 7. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein said typewriter has first and second surfaces adjacent to the upper and lower positions of its keyboard, respectively, said support having a pair of brackets for removably engaging said first and second surfaces, respectively.
 8. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein, the structure on each bar includes a rigid segment, said support including a housing having a bottom wall provided with a row of holes aligned with the numeral keys of the typewriter when said support is in said operative position, the segments extending through corresponding holes, each of said certain keys having a stem extending through a corresponding hole and engageable with a corresponding numeral key.
 9. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein the bars of a first group of the remaining auxiliary keys are substantially parallel with each other and the bars of a second group of the remaining auxiliary keys are substantially parallel with each other, each bar being at an acute angle with respect to the rows of said keyboard.
 10. The combination as set forth in claim 9, wherein the lengths of the bars of each group are substantially equal to each other.
 11. The combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein a first of said brackets is L-shaped, the other bracket including an arm pivotally mounted on the support for adjustable engagement with said other surface area. 